44 COUNTER-CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



of this definition than that it is prodnced now, after three 

 other interpretations of the term in dispute had been put 

 forward by the United States in the correspondence pre- 

 ceding the Arbitration Treaty, and answered by the British 

 Government. 



ON THE 30th JUNE, 3890, MR, BLAINE THOUGHT IT 

 "plain" THAT "NORTH-WEST COAST" WAS ONLY FROM 

 50° TO 60° NORTH LA.TITUDE. 



British Case, In a despatch to Sir J. Pauncefote, dated the 30th June, 

 Appendix, vol. jgOO, Mr. BUiiue criticizes the Treaties of 1824 and 



ill ' 



'United states 49 1825, and savs it is "plain" that they botli limited 

 SIp.mT' ^"^ tl'e "north-west coast" to the coast between 50° 



But on the 17th and 00° iiorth latitude. But in another, dated the 17th 

 he rnchuied e^gM December, 1890, where he discusses the meaning of "Pacific 

 n">r tiegrees. Oceau" and "iiorth-wcst coast" at length, observing that 

 states" No?' ^1 the dispute as to the former phrase " prominently involves " 

 ^^89i),"Ko.y7,p. tlie meaning of the latter, he contends that "north-west 



coast" means the coast from 42° to 00° north latitude. 



Neither contention has been thought worthy of insertion 



in the United States Case. 



CONTENTION (4) LIMITS "NORTH-WEST COAST" TO THE 

 "LISIERE" as DEFINED IN TREATY OF 1825. 



The remaining interpretation has survived in the form 

 of Contention (4.). The coast-line therein referred to is 

 plainly the "lisiere" defined in the Treaty of 1825. This 

 is the narrow strip of coast from 56° north latitude to the 

 l)oint of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude. 

 But that the words "north-west coast," as used in the 

 Treaty of 1824, do not mean the "lisiere" so defined, is 

 evident from this one consideration; that the limits of that 

 But the "lis. "lisiere," finally adopted, and embodied in the Treaty of 

 tiom'din Treaty ^^^^J ^^^^^ "^t cvcu been proposed wlien the Treaty of 1824 

 of 1824; uor had was sigucd ; and all negotiations between great Great 

 i!een^°proposed^ ^'^it'^iii- ^^^^ Russia had been suspended. This Treaty 

 and negotiations bears date the 17tli April, 1824, and naturally contains no 

 hmi^'^heeV^ sus^ iwention of any "lisiere." A "lisiere" had been under 

 pended. discussiou between the British and Russian Governments, 



of which the boundaries were from time to time variously 

 defined by "projet" and "contre projet"; but no one of 

 these definitions had taken the shape finally agreed on, 

 even as late as the 8th December, 1824, when Mr. G. Can- 

 ning wrote to Mr. S. Canning as follows : 



GREAT BRITAIN PROPOSES TO ADOPT ARTICLE IV OF AMERICAN TREATY, 

 WITH ITS RECIPROCAL LIBERTY OF ACCESS TO NORTH-WEST COAST. 



We are content also to assign the period often years for the recipro- 

 Am n'lix vof^l' ^"^ liberty of access and conunerce with each other's territories, which 

 Parti, p. 74. stipulation may be best stated precisely iu the terms of Article IV of 

 the American Convention. 



